Group RCI Announces Strategic Alliance With LeisureLink

[cirkus Member Find all posts View Profile Close cirkus]

Group RCI Announces Strategic Alliance With LeisureLink
Monday October 15, 12:35 pm ET Deal Will Expand Online Presence and Visibility of Vacation Rental Properties
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Group RCI, one of the Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN - News) family of companies, and a global leader in leisure real estate, today announced a strategic alliance with LeisureLink, a premier provider of online distribution for vacation rental properties. The agreement with LeisureLink will increase the online presence of Group RCI's global rental inventory to new channels including online travel agents such as Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz, which are all part of the LeisureLink distribution network. In a separate press release, dated September 25, 2007, it was announced that Group RCI has made a financial investment in LeisureLink.
"Our alliance with LeisureLink underscores our belief in the non-hotel vacation accommodation experience and our commitment to grow this segment. We now have a distribution arrangement that is focused on properly marketing the advantages of this type of vacation accommodation. With their technology, we'll be able to provide a turn-key program for our affiliates and inventory providers to bring a vast array of rental properties to the online travel market faster and easier than before," says Kenneth May, chairman and CEO of Group RCI. "We hope that our association with LeisureLink demonstrates to leisure real estate developers, property management companies, vacation home owners, and resort affiliates a clear commitment to continue to lead this industry with technologies and services that enhance awareness of the industry overall."
"We are delighted that Group RCI has selected LeisureLink," says Erik Hovanec, president and CEO of LeisureLink. "Through this new alliance with Group RCI, LeisureLink will be able to bring a vast array of new inventory to our distribution partners. Group RCI's decision clearly demonstrates that a dedicated distribution platform is required to highlight the consumer value and emotional appeal of this travel product."
LeisureLink provides electronic distribution for all types of vacation lodging properties including timeshare resorts, vacation rentals and condo- hotels. The company's expert staff focuses on properly positioning and pricing each property to maximize bookings in the electronic channels. LeisureLink works with most of the major online travel sites, as well as all three U.S. GDS systems.
For additional information on joining the Group RCI Endless Vacation rental program, visit www.EVRentals.com or call 1-866-913-2366, or send an e-mail to rentalprogramhelp@rci.com.
About LeisureLink
LeisureLink makes vacation lodging widely available through online travel sites and traditional travel agents. LeisureLink delivers broad distribution, property marketing services and pricing assistance to increase rental bookings and maximize property managers' profitability in all market conditions and seasons. Our clients include vacation rental, timeshare, and condo-hotel properties. For more information visit www.LeisureLink.com.
About Group RCI
Group RCI, part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, (NYSE: WYN - News) is the global leader in non-hotel leisure accommodations with exclusive access for specified periods to more than 60,000 vacation properties in more than 100 countries. Organizationally, Group RCI is comprised of vacation exchange, including RCI®, the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and provider of travel services to businesses and consumers and The Registry Collection®, the world's largest luxury exchange program; vacation rentals, including Endless Vacation Rentals(SM), Landal Greenparks®, Novasol®, and more than 30 other vacation rental brands, through which vacationers can rent a wide variety of property types, from city apartments to country cottages to unique villas; and NorthCourse(SM) Leisure Real Estate Solutions, an international leader in providing a full spectrum of advisory, research, asset management and sales and marketing services to developers and investors worldwide. Collectively, the company delivers unique vacation experiences to leisure travelers around the world and provides products and services to business customers that support the growth of the leisure real estate industry. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation is one of the world's largest hospitality companies with leading brands in lodging franchising, vacation ownership, vacation rentals and vacation exchange. For additional information visit www.grouprci.com or the media center of www.wyndhamworldwide.com.



Source: LeisureLink

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

First glance at their rentals, and I found a Morritt's for Jan 20 -27/07 for $769.00 ...2 bdrm

Also found P town in July, and Colorado in Feb.....




SandCastle, P-town, NY

Studio (2)

Jul 05-Jul 12
$767.89* - 7 nights


Studio (4)

Jul 12-Jul 19
$767.89* - 7 nights


Studio (2)

Jul 12-Jul 19
$767.89* - 7 nights


Studio (4)

Jul 26-Aug 02
$767.89* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (6)

Jul 26-Aug 02
$921.47* - 7 nights






Wyndham Pagosa



1 bedroom (4)

Feb 01-Feb 08
$576.63* - 7 nights


2 bedroom (6)

Feb 01-Feb 08
$652.79* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Feb 02-Feb 09
$576.63* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Feb 02-Feb 09
$576.63* - 7 nights


2 bedroom (6)

Feb 02-Feb 09
$652.79* - 7 nights

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Great another RCI rental outlet and another reason to bank my timeshare weeks elsewhere.

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

getting ridiculous, yes???
Connie

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

First glance at their rentals, and I found a Morritt's for Jan 20 -27/07 for $769.00 ...2 bdrm

Also found P town in July, and Colorado in Feb.....

At what address did you see those? When I went to Leisurelink.com there weren't any rentals listed, nor did even appear they were in the rental business. Looked more as if they are a middleman between people with inventory they would like to rent and aggregators such as expedia, orbitz, etc.

[joycapecod Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close joycapecod]

Morritt's Tortuga Club located on Grand Cayman Island's East End and is a place of relaxation and enjoyment. The resort is beachfront with a true feel ... Read More >>


Unit (occupancy)
Availabilities
Price *USD



2 bedroom (6)

Jan 20-Jan 27
$769.99* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Mar 28-Apr 04
$729.99* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Mar 29-Apr 05
$729.99* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Mar 30-Apr 06
$729.99* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Apr 04-Apr 11
$459.99* - 7 nights

These are less than the maintenance fees if I remember correctly...what a deal NOT!!!

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

At what address did you see those? When I went to Leisurelink.com there weren't any rentals listed, nor did even appear they were in the rental business. Looked more as if they are a middleman between people with inventory they would like to rent and aggregators such as expedia, orbitz, etc.

Try....

Wyndham-Vacations - Home

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I guess this answers my question if whether or not it's worth joining RCI for their rentals.....Are these prices really less than the MF'S? I would think March/April, is prime time.

I really didn't get a chance to see what they are offering, only took a quick peek. But, it looks like it's worth investigating.

Morritt's Tortuga Club located on Grand Cayman Island's East End and is a place of relaxation and enjoyment. The resort is beachfront with a true feel ... Read More >>


Unit (occupancy)
Availabilities
Price *USD



2 bedroom (6)

Jan 20-Jan 27
$769.99* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Mar 28-Apr 04
$729.99* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Mar 29-Apr 05
$729.99* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Mar 30-Apr 06
$729.99* - 7 nights


1 bedroom (4)

Apr 04-Apr 11
$459.99* - 7 nights

These are less than the maintenance fees if I remember correctly...what a deal NOT!!!

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Try....

Wyndham-Vacations - Home

But that's not anything new, is it? Hasn't RCI been operating that and similar sites for ages and eons??

What does that have to do with LeisureLink, or with this announcement? If this link is a kick-off for that site, whoever did the PR sure did a good job of burying that piece of information

***
The posts above make it sound like this is some new rental outlet that didn't exist previously. I don't see that unless I've missed something.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

But that's not anything new, is it? Hasn't RCI been operating that and similar sites for ages and eons??

What does that have to do with LeisureLink, or with this announcement? If this link is a kick-off for that site, whoever did the PR sure did a good job of burying that piece of information

***
The posts above make it sound like this is some new rental outlet that didn't exist previously. I don't see that unless I've missed something.

Steve....I don't really know. Someone more familiar with RCI, and their rentals might have more insight.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

I should also add ...

We got into timesharing in late 1999. By early 2000 I thought it was clear that Cendant was looking at vacation and leisure accommodations as a growth industry, and that timesharing was only part of that.

Cendant wasn't operating RCI because they wanted the cash flow; they bought it because it was part of a larger strategy to grow the vacation accommodations. I think they perceived it as a fragmented industry, ripe for consolidation, and with profit opportunities equal to or better than the hotel hospitality business.

There were, and still are, obvious inefficiencies in the market. Most of us realize that vacation condos are a far better value than hotels for many travelers, yet the connections between owners of vacation property inventory and potential renters were cumbersome and inefficient.

Cendant saw obvious profit potential in being the middleman in eliminating that inefficiency.

***

And that is the bigger significance of this announcement. LeisureLink is trying to do exactly what I described above.

This is not necessarily all bad for timeshare owners. Look at the rates most of us get on our rentals, particularly as compared with what the resort can command for the same weeks and units. We all know that we are nowhere close to realizing the actual value of our weeks in a rental program.

The biggest issues we face in trying to get real value for our weeks is visibility and credibility. Any entity that can help us connect with potential renters and get us rentals that are closer to the true value of our weeks - without skimming off too much themselves in the transaction - should be in a good position.

And for people who are whole owners of vacation rentals the benefits are even greater.

Heck, a good efficient way of getting rental weeks in front of the renting public might actually be the salvation for some of those resorts that are having problems with owners walking away. If the resort knows they can rent the weeks easily and make money for the remaining owners, they might be more willing to do deedbacks. Or owners of those weeks may be more inclined to stick around if they can recover more or all of their maintenance fees.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Steve....I don't really know. Someone more familiar with RCI, and their rentals might have more insight.

I hadn't been to that specific site before, but I don't prowl around the rental sites, either, so I wouldn't know if it were new.

Over the last four or five years, though, I certainly have seen other sites operated by RCI where they are renting directly to the public. I have seen lots of posts comparing availability at those sites compared with availability in the space bank. I've seen people comparing rental rates at those sites with annual fees. I've seen people comparing rental rates and availability at those sites with rental rates and availability at RCI's members-only rental sites.

*****

I just took a gander at Hawai'i availability in August of 2008 and the resorts and rental rates offered are about what I would expect - resorts that generally have greater inventory in the spacebank and that are, realistically, in the bottom third of desired RCI's Hawai'i affiliations. And the rental rates are significantly higher than annual fees - enough higher that a person who wanted to visit Hawai'i regularly in August would be better off buying, say, Pono Kai unit, than renting at the rates quoted at that site.

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

RCI renting units! In other news, Sun rises in East!

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

I remember a Ken May (CEO, RCI)'s epistle that went to resorts that I posted years ago on TUG in which he stated that Cendant planned to take timeshare to the mass market. Translated, that meant rentals rather than exchanges. RCI is phasing itself out as an exchange company. Indeed, I have predicted in a few years RCI will stand for ''Rental Condominiums International''.

Lately on your RCI account availible trades have an indication that they are exchange availibility. Look for the next step to be RCI showing you rental availibility as well as exchange availibility when you do your search. Then look for exchange availibility to slowly degrade.

Some want to look at this solely in our roles as individual consumers, but fail to take into account another player that is also criticial to timeshare owners and that is our resorts. The business plan of resorts is grounded on the ownership/exchange model of timesharing, and RCI is pulling that rug out from under them. For most of them, there is no realistic way to change their own business plan because declarations of covenants are, as a practical matter, almost impossible to change. When changes in RCI's business plan causes members of resorts to bail out, it impacts remaining members maintenance fees, which have to go up to compensate.

The key in all of this is that resorts need to start looking for lifeboats. Encouraging their members to switch to independent exchange companies is one. Looking for ''own to use'' markets for HOA inventory is another. Timesharers need to talk to their resorts to be certain they know what RCI is doing to them, and that they are ahead of the curve working on their ''Plan B''.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Carolinian

Lately on your RCI account available trades have an indication that they are exchange availability. Look for the next step to be RCI showing you rental availability as well as exchange availability when you do your search. Then look for exchange availability to slowly degrade.

Are these weeks that have been deposited for exchange by RCI customers, or are they weeks that have been given to RCI by the resorts/developers, to do with them what they will? To me, that would make a huge difference. If a week is given to RCI for the purpose of exchange, does RCI have the right immediately rent that week?

I can understand RCI, or any exchange company renting last minute deposits, or hard to exchange weeks, weeks that have sat around with no takers, etc. But to get a week, and immediately put it up for rent before it was available to exchange for a reasonable period of time, just seems wrong to me.